Chapter 6: Learning to Be Husband and Wife

Lu Siting quietly looked around the house.

It was modest but warmly furnished over two floors. Beyond the front room was a little courtyard planted with flowers, then the living room, with the kitchen and dining area behind it. The living room balcony faced the courtyard.

To one side stood a stone table and stools and a rattan chair. On the table were a pot of tea, cups, several books, and an open document outlining Lu Group’s forthcoming move into entertainment.

…

Cooking for two required more effort than a meal for herself.

Ning Yixia put on the rice and prepared the ingredients. Before long, sweet-and-sour pork ribs, chicken with pineapple, stuffed loofah, stir-fried squash shoots, and winter melon soup with shrimp were ready.

Four dishes and a soup.

“The ingredients and my skills are both rather limited. I hope you’ll forgive me, Mr. Lu.”

She served him half a bowl of soup.

His gaze settled on the food. Simple home cooking, but attractively prepared. She clearly knew what she was doing.

“There’s nothing to forgive.”

It had been years since he’d eaten a home-cooked meal with this kind of warmth. His only memory of anything similar was from long ago, in his father’s family quarters.

“You usually cook for yourself?”

The low question sounded more like a statement.

She moved the soup bowl toward him. “Yes. I used to live on takeout and quick meals, and it upset my stomach. The doctor told me to be more careful. Cooking for myself is cleaner, and it’s a good way to relieve stress…”

A faint interest entered his eyes as he watched her.

“Is work very stressful?”

She looked up, her gaze clear. After considering the question, she answered, “It’s all right. I work at Lu Group. It’s a big company, so there’s bound to be some pressure. But that isn’t really a problem for me. My stress doesn’t come from work. It comes from…”

She didn’t finish. The light in her eyes dimmed.

He understood.

Ah Yi had apparently looked into her background afterward. He knew what had happened between her and that man surnamed Gu.

According to Ah Yi, she had given a great deal, only for the man to let her lose everything she had staked on him. Her overall situation wasn’t good either.

Her parents had divorced when she was young. Her father remarried; her mother suffered an accident. Alone among a pack of wolves, how could she protect herself on every side?

“Sometimes you need to be ruthless to stand your ground.”

He offered the words after a pause.

He didn’t know how to comfort her, or even whether she needed comforting. It had never been one of his skills.

She smiled. “I know. But thank you, Mr. Lu.”

Her tone remained polite, distant.

“If it hadn’t been for you, I might never have found the determination to make a clean break and start again. It’s just that this marriage happened so suddenly. I feel a little…”

“Unaccustomed to it?” he supplied.

A rare warmth entered his eyes. His low voice eased.

“You have plenty of time to adjust. Don’t force yourself.”

“Thank you, Mr. Lu.”

“Must you be quite so polite, Ms. Ning?”

She laughed softly, finally relaxing. “All right. Let’s eat.”

She liked light flavors, particularly sweet and sour, and had made dishes she enjoyed herself.

She ate with quiet grace, giving an impression of unstudied ease.

From the corner of her eye, she noticed the elegance of the man opposite. He looked as though he came from a distinguished family. She wondered just who he was.

…

After dinner, she quickly cleared the table.

Lu Siting meant to help, but she was too fast.

As she washed the dishes, she found it difficult to settle her thoughts.

The man outside had such a powerful presence. Even though he said little, meeting his gaze made her tense.

He carried himself like the most formidable business leaders she had met. Yet according to his assistant, his family merely owned a small company, which he helped manage.

Distracted, she let a soapy plate slip from her hands.

It shattered on the floor with a crash.

She snapped back to herself and hurried to gather the pieces. But soapy water had spread across the floor. As she stepped forward, her foot slid, pitching her heavily toward the ground.

She thrust out a hand to break her fall. Agonizing pain shot through her palm. Trying to stand despite it, she slipped again.

“Careful.”

The low voice came suddenly. Cool air stirred around her as a strong arm caught her waist and pulled her up.

She stumbled against him, feeling his warmth.

A cool, subtle fragrance filled her senses.

She tried to struggle upright, but the floor was still slick. Instinctively she clutched his clothes at the waist to steady herself.

Held so close, she was acutely aware of his quiet, controlled strength. She couldn’t quite describe the sensation.

Although she had been engaged to Gu Ziyan, the most intimate thing they had ever done was embrace. Even that hadn’t felt like this. She began to struggle involuntarily.

“Stay still unless you want to hurt your foot.”

His voice above her head was low and unyielding. Between the pain and the embarrassment, she felt almost numb.

Women really were troublesome.

Only when she stopped struggling did he carry her out.

One foot felt cold. She looked down.

Where was her left slipper?

She could have died of embarrassment.

Lu Siting glanced down at her. Her right hand was red with blood, which trickled down her pale wrist. Seeing her flushed face, he frowned.

“Does it hurt badly?”

She turned her face aside, mortified and rigid.

He set her on the sofa and examined her hand. Ceramic shards and fragments were embedded in her palm.

“This is serious. We’re going to the hospital.”

He moved to lift her again.

Her need to escape the awkwardness momentarily outweighed the pain.

“It’s all right. I have a first-aid kit. I—”

“If you want to keep the use of that hand, stop arguing. We’re going to the hospital.”

The concern in his words carried a warning.

She persisted, cheeks burning. “I can walk. Please put me down.”

He didn’t insist. He set her down, found the first-aid kit, wrapped her hand in gauze, and took her to the hospital.